Tuesday 27th October 2026
Our ongoing research and fascination with the wonderful birdlife in our community continues to inspire curiosity, wonder and some very thoughtful conversations amongst the children.
As Halloween approaches, the children have become increasingly interested in the artificial spider webs appearing in gardens, shopfronts and public spaces. This sparked questions about what these decorations might mean for our local birds and wildlife, particularly the risks of becoming tangled or trapped in the webbing.
What followed was a wonderful opportunity for the children to move beyond wondering and begin thinking about what we could actually do to make a difference.
Through discussion, shared ideas and collective thinking, our letter of advocacy was born! The children wanted to share their concerns and encourage others in our community to think about how their Halloween decorations might impact the wildlife living alongside us.
We decided this message deserved to travel far and wide, so we invited our families to help spread the word. Our letter has since made its way to our local ALDI, our neighbourhood café and even one of our families' chicken shops at The Junction, where it was proudly displayed for the local community to read. It also travelled with us on our City to Sea adventures and is now proudly displayed at the Newcastle Beach kiosk. We are so grateful to our families and local businesses who have embraced the children's message and supported their efforts to spread the word.
There is something incredibly powerful about seeing children's concerns turn into meaningful action. They are learning that their voices matter, that they can influence the world around them and that caring for our environment involves all of us.
This is advocacy in action. Building empathy, nurturing environmental responsibility and giving children the confidence to stand up for the creatures and places that cannot always speak for themselves.
Small voices, big ideas and a community working together to protect our beautiful wildlife.